The present invention relates to methods of disclosing a target pattern for identification. The methods according to the present invention are based on the principle of sequentially and non-lexicographically revealing, constructing and/or resolving a target pattern to players to permit the players to identify the target pattern in a game format.
Revelation of a target pattern involves sequentially "unmasking" a target pattern to make the pattern progressively more recognizable to a player.
Construction of a target pattern relates to different techniques. Incremental construction involves adding to a blank space portions of a target pattern. Construction can also involve presentation of a first pattern to a player and then sequentially transforming or "morphing" into the target pattern.
Resolution involves sequentially making the target pattern "clearer" to a player, for example, by bringing the target pattern progressively into focus.
Combination involves making the target pattern recognizable to a player by a combination of revelation, construction and resolution.
"Non-lexicographic" revelation means revelation that is independent of language or letter. For example, when a masked target pattern is non-lexicographically revealed to a player, each step of the revelation does not necessarily produce readable characters or words to the player. This is true even if the target pattern contains text, in which case portions of letters may be revealed.
In non-lexicographic revelation, random portions of the target pattern that do not correspond to a semantic entity, such as a letter, word, or sentence, are presented to the player. This is different from games in which semantic entities, such as letters, are presented to the players.
The present invention has broad application in the fields of entertainment and education. Target pattern recognition according to the present invention is not limited in the manner in which the player is presented with the target pattern or in which the target pattern is made recognizable to the player.
In contrast, prior art games are limited in the manner in which the target patterns are made recognizable to the player and are limited in the manners in which the player can play the game. For instance, the game "Concentration" involves the progressive revelation of an English language sentence or phrase that is written in picto-lexicographic form, also known as a rebus. However, the sentence or phrase revealed in Concentration is an ad hoc kind of writing. The sentence or phrase as revealed must be read by the player. Thus, the identification in Concentration is language dependent and the player must be literate to play.
Additionally, in the game Concentration, there is only one exact syntax string that identifies the revealed target pattern. That is, if the correct identification is "there's no place like home," then the identification "there's no place like a house" will not be correct. Only the identical syntax string "there's no place like home" will be a correct answer. Because proper identification can only be made according to that one syntax string, correct identification can be difficult even for literate players.
Other target pattern identification games by revelation are known in the prior art as well. Such games include the successive revelation of a target pattern of a rock music star on a children's television station and the successive revelation of a sports figure on a sports television station. However, such games are played in the same location as the players and are not, therefore, user interactive. Thus, play of such games is limited to those in the same location as the game play. Additionally, these games, as well as Concentration, use only the target pattern disclosure method of revelation, and not construction, resolution or a combination of revelation, construction and resolution. Additionally, such games do not contemplate the revelation of moving video, audio or hybrid target patterns or other mixed media or multimedia patterns. The revelation of such target patterns greatly expands the challenge and the usefulness of the target pattern disclosure methods.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,831 issued to Stadden discloses a tile game. However, in the game disclosed by Stadden, the tiles form the pattern. There is no identification of an underlying target pattern and the tiles are not sequentially removed for identification of a pattern.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide methods of disclosure for target pattern identification including the sequential resolution, revelation and/or construction of target patterns.
Another object of the present invention is to provide methods of target pattern disclosure suitable for a broad range of applications and available to a wide range of people.
A further object of the present invention is to provide methods of disclosure for target pattern identification which are language-independent.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide methods of disclosure for target pattern identification that are user interactive and in which networked players can play at remote locations.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of disclosure methods which may be implemented on various interactive display media according to preset rules.
Another object of the present invention is to provide methods of disclosure for target pattern identification for use in a broad range of locations, including, for example, home, classrooms, taverns, casinos, hotels, and arcades.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.